Her Worship Mayor: Cllr Maria Molahlwa Mokobodi
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Aganang Youth to Respect their Elders in Honour of Madiba `s Legacy in Memorial Lecture
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Struggle Veterans Urge Aganang Youth to Respect their Elders in Honour of Madiba `s Legacy in Memorial Lecture
Aganang Municipality Lectured Tata Mandela`s Legacy in Maribana Hall (front row): Mayoral Executive Committee Members, cllr Steven Phaka, cllr Lisbeth Mothata ,Veteran Morris Matsemela ,Veteran Ike Maphoto, the Speaker, cllr Mary Dikgale (back row):Manager, Office of the Mayor, William Mathekgane, Ward 03 Councilor, Cllr Kanono Kganyago, Her Worship Mayor, Cllr Maria Mokobodi and Senior Risk Officer, Vincent Masoga.
Aganang Local Municipality held the first ever Nelson Mandela memorial lecture to educate and honour the world icon`s legacy at Maribana hall in Ward 03.The lecture targeted Aganang born-frees who never experienced the taste of apartheid regime. The memorial lecturing was delivered by Veteran Ike Maphoto and Veteran Morris Matsemela who are the sons of Aganang soil.Acting Mayor of the day, Cllr Lisbeth Mothata appreciated the municipality for having high ranking people who fought against apartheid and liberated South Africa to be a better place in 20 years of democracy. "We are proud to have selfless leaders and other struggle veterans who serve as our pillars in sharing Mandela`s history with our youth as a way to let Mandela`s legacy lives", she said.
Like other spheres of government, Aganang Local Municipality released the ignorance of born-frees generation in the liberated present South African dispensation. Acting Mayor, Cllr Mothata said that the young people born after the struggle are gradually losing track of the pillar of our struggle and legacy of the international respected icon Tata Nelson Mandela. "Our young generation is losing touch with the legacy of Madiba. The born-frees are the future to preserve Madiba`s legacy we are doomed to fate", she emphasized in her address. Acting Mayor, Cllr Mothata advised Aganang youth to promote Madiba`s legacy by acquiring knowledge through education and learning to make South Africa a better in celebrating 20 years of freedom and democracy
Her Worship Mayor, Cllr Mokobodi thanked every person who took part in 67 Minutes of Mandela Day by making a change in the lives of the needy people. “We really give appreciations to all the donors who contributed towards making Aganang Mandela Day a success ’, she praised.
Robben Islander Veteran Morris Matsemela who is now serving as a PR Councilor in Aganang Council was born in the year 1931 in Mashashane area.Veteran Matsemela remembers how he was detained in 1960 after Sharpeville massacre with other struggle fighters. "I was detained in Marabastad and found other fellow comrades like Peter Mogano, Peter Nchabeleng, Nelson Diale, Andries Seome, Andrew Mashaba, Alpheus Mokabe, Jackson Ntoane and Makitla Molefe having a case to answer to then government. Police asked me to testify against them which I refused and lead to my seven years sentence in prison in 1964. We are now free at last because of the blood that was shared for liberation. We had difficulty times from 1984 until 1994", he explains. Veteran Matsemela was incarcerated in Pretoria Prison and later transferred to Leeuwkop prison where he met Henry Makgothi and Wilson Mkwayi with other before being transferred to Robben Island.
He concluded by appealing to Aganang youth not misuse their freedom by disrespecting their elders and described Mandela as a loving person who loved singing and training in Robben Island prison.
Umkhonto We Sizwe first recruited strong and political leader Veteran Ike Maphoto described Mandela as a person who loved learning and education. Maphoto said Mandela and fellow comrades did not fight apartheid government to give young people an opportunity to insult their elders as they wish. "Mandela will be happy if young people of today compete in education unlike destroying their future by smoking nyaope and drinking too much alcohol. The youth of today have no respect due to the lack of education that we fought so hard to be offered for free to all our children", he expressed. Veteran Maphoto emphasized the need for the youth to read more and be educated in order to have better understanding and reasoning capacity on crucial matters that will lead to developing our country.
Veteran Maphoto expressed his disappointment by the bad behavior displayed by youth in public and government houses. "I am a Commander who fought many struggles for freedom of a black person, but now our youth are swearing and disrespecting us after what we done for them. Parliament is a decent place that requires every individual to have morals and discipline", he expressed.
Aganang Municipality leadership listening to Veteran Ike Maphoto urging youth to be helpful and respectful to the elders: PR Cllr, William Kganyago, Mayoral executive committee members Cllr Steven Phaka, Cllr Lisbeth Mothata, Her Worship Mayor, Cllr Maria Mokobodi, Chief Whip, Cllr Malesela Teffo and Veteran Morris Matsemela
Veteran Maphoto admired South Africa as the most wonderful country to live in Africa because of its Ubuntu culture. "I don`t have money but I have got my peaceful country which is enough to be a South African", he advised. He appealed to the people to take Madiba?s legacy by offering help to the needy and the poor who ask for it.
The Chief Whip, Cllr Malesela Teffo appreciated Veteran Maphoto and Veteran Matsemela for reviving Madiba`s legacy of showing love and respect to others. "As leaders in society, we must show respect to our people at all times and avoid dictatorship management. Mandela loved and respected all the people irrespective of their colour and background", he said in his vote of thanks address.Aganang Mandela memorial lecture was sealed by struggle songs that contributed to liberating South Africa from apartheid regime.
Tata Madiba`s legacy lives on: Aganang youth who attended Nelson Mandela memorial lecture resonate struggle songs for Tata Mandela.
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